2015 NIH-AMGEN Scholars Program.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants to the NIH-Amgen Scholars Program will complete the application for the NIH
Summer Internship Program (SIP). This online application will be available on November 15.
The Amgen Foundation, the Foundation for the NIH and the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education are
pleased to announce the 2015 NIH-Amgen Scholars Program. NIH-Amgen Scholars will spend the summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research.
NIH-Amgen scholars will be immersed in a culture of translational science and will explore important elements
of the basic, translational and clinical research enterprise. Scholars will be matched with research mentors in the Intramural Research Program (IRP) on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to performing full-time research, NIH-Amgen Scholars
will:
§
Participate in a customized curriculum that will use journal clubs, case studies, and group activities to develop communication, career readiness,
and critical thinking skills.
§
Explore the relationship between science and society in evening roundtables that examine the role of science, policy, and community engagement
in the elimination of health disparities (for a definition of health disparities, visit the
NIH-Amgen Scholars Program FAQs).
§
Participate in a leadership development program focused on self-exploration, building resiliency, understanding conflict, finding mentors, and
understanding emotional intelligence.
§
Attend the Amgen Scholars US Symposium in California in July to interact with top industry and academic scientists and to network with other Amgen
Scholars.
§
Present at the NIH Summer Poster Day in August.
§
Establish an individualized development plan to take advantage of the many workshops and seminars offered for all NIH summer interns. These include
our summer lecture series, "Going to Graduate School" series, communication skills workshops, and the NIH Graduate & Professional School Fair.
The NIH-Amgen Scholars Program will begin with a week-long orientation and leadership training program.
Program participants will meet weekly for program activities throughout the summer.
NIH Amgen-Scholars will receive a monthly stipend and Transhare benefits for travel within the Metro DC
area (Transhare is a transportation subsidy provided to individuals who agree to use any form of public transportation and not their car to get to work.). Housing and travel support for all NIH-Amgen Scholars will be arranged by the Foundation for the NIH.
Eligibility
The NIH-Amgen program is for undergraduate students interested in PhD and combined degree programs in the
sciences. Students interested in attending medical or other professional school programs should apply to the broader
NIH Summer Internship Program. Students with experience with health disparities and a keen interest in learning more about the biological, environmental, social, and genetic causes of health disparities
are especially encouraged to apply. The NIH-Amgen Scholars Program admission committee will give preference to students who lack opportunities to perform independent research during the school year. We welcome applications from students in all science disciplines
and encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply.
In addition, applicants must:
§
Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
§
Be enrolled for Fall 2015 in a four-year college or university in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or other US territory.
§
Be a rising junior or senior (including fifth-year seniors). Transfer students from community colleges should
contact us for advice on applying to the
Community College Summer Enrichment Program (CCSEP).
§
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher (4.0 scale).
Individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree, students who are not currently enrolled at a U.S. institution,
and previous Amgen Scholars are not eligible to apply.
Application Process
Applicants should complete the standard NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) application and choose NIH-Amgen Scholars Program from the drop-down menu in item 9. Applicants should discuss three important elements in the application cover letter:
§
Research interests and educational/career goals for the future
§
Understanding of, experience with, and interest in learning more about health disparities; we are interested in learning about personal, coursework-related,
or community-based experiences that have increased your interest in health disparities.
§
Leadership experiences in school and in the community
The application deadline for this program is February 2nd, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST. The full application
package, including reference letters, must be completed at this time for applicants to be considered for the program.
How the Program Works
The selection committee will review applications to the Amgen-NIH Scholars Program, and applicants will be informed of the committee's decisions by the end of February. Applicants who are not selected for the Amgen-NIH Scholars Program will be released into
the general pool of applicants for the NIH Summer Internship Program and will be advised about the selection process for SIP to maximize their chances of admission.
Individuals who are selected as Amgen-NIH Scholars, will be matched by the program with NIH intramural scientists
who have been selected to host program participants. Every effort will be made to place students in research groups related to their research interests. Applicants to the program should not contact NIH intramural scientists to discuss placements on their own.
All Amgen-NIH Scholars must be on campus from June 8th to August 14th, 2015. Summer internships are full-time
positions; interns are expected to devote a minimum of 40 hours per week to their projects and training. Students should not, therefore, expect to take courses during the daytime. Furthermore, they should not make plans for evening coursework or volunteer
activities before speaking to program staff.